A Miracle of Besovi and Tanama M'Tha-Astrifor and the Placement of Stars

According to Besovi (who would be known as the king of lies were he of even remotely noble demeanor, but instead is rather more like the worm of lies) the first Miracle he performed in the Outer Reaches, home of the Mortal Realms, was when the placement of the mortal stars was to be done. Because he is a liar, I would normally not count a story of his as truth, but because this one lacks the usual heroics of him saving worlds and destroying villains, I must concede that there may be truth in it.

Tanama M'Tha-Astrifor, Luminary of the Kyphirionic Empire, Radiant of the House Astrifides, she of the hundred burning hands, was tasked by her father to place stars in the Outer Reaches so that mortals would see their Light and know the blessings of the House Astrifides. His goal was not one of generosity, as very few of the Kyphrionic Empire know true compassion and fewer still practice it, but of pragmatism. If outer mortals, insignificant though they were, were to come to know the Light and Power of stars, then they may come to worship them, thus worshiping House Astrifides by proxy. At the least, the placement of House Astrifides' stars in an otherwise lawless void would give credence to any future claim House Astrifides might make on the Reaches where his stars touched.

Tanama M'Tha-Astrifor, daughter of Tha Eucalides of the Tha Merchant Lords and of the Regulus of the House Astrifides was, to the shame of both her parents, lazy. Despite her brilliance of light and burning beauty, she was dim regarding matters of the mind. Her six sisters all shared her radiance, but all possessed sharp wits and sharper tongues of their parents, excelling in the fields of sorcery, of mathematics (a recognized sorcery itself in Kyphrios), of the art of speech and trade. Tanama had none of these skills. Or rather, she could have them all, had she any ambition.

The placement of these stars was meant to be a test of her capability. If she could manage this feat, a difficult, yet not impossible task for one of the House Astrifides, even a half blood as herself, then her parents could hold to the hope that she would someday make them proud.

So Tanama paid Kauzin auht To'alomos, the earthen keeper of Gates of Kyphrios, the the requisite fees to leave the Empire, and paid again to leave the inner circles of Worlds surrounding the empire. She crossed the bridges of light through whirling existence and, when the bridges became broken and ramshackle from neglect and disuse, she picked her way across the cracks until there were no bridges left. Out beyond the encircled protectorate worlds of the Kyphrionic Empire, she found herself in the chaotic darkness of the Outer Reaches. Tanama stepped through the chaotic dark space between Worlds until she came across a set of Worlds whose skies were dark and devoid of light. When she found a section of void satisfactorily empty in the circles of outer Worlds, she set her bucket of stars down and began the painstaking process of placing them.

To place a star to the House Astrifides high standards is painstaking work. She would pluck one from the container, examine it for quality as her father had instructed, then gently place it in the sky just so. Her father had been clear on this; to truly showcase the glories of the House Astrifides, the stars must be placed apart enough so that their beauty was not diminished by proximity, and they must be organized so that the local mortals would trust in the order the House Astrifides would provide. Through these methods, mortal kind in the area would subconsciously ascribe glory to House Astrifides without even knowing of their true existence, and the House would incrementally grow stronger. It works like so: Astrifides creates and places the stars. Mortals appreciate the stars and base religions and artwork around them. Astrifides benefits from the thought, faith, and passion their stars have inspired, even if no mortal ever learns of House Astrifides existence.

So Tanama was busily placing stars, a time consuming process many of even the highest Effulgences are unable or unwilling to do. Even with her hundred hands, which floated disembodied and burning around her, it still took time, as she had only two eyes and one face with which to inspect the stars. She had done only a few dozen when Besovi approached her.

"Greeting, Star Maiden," Besovi said with a low bow.

"Begone, Besovi," Tanama said.

"Is that a way to speak to your fellow Luminary?" Besovi said, wounded. "Is that a way to speak to a cousin?"

Tanama snorted. "You're no cousin of mine, Courtless. What do you want?"

"I wanted to know what you are doing here, so far from the comfort of your family's estates." He gestured to the world-dotted void. "It is not often that a high ranking Radiant such as yourself is seen in the Outer Reaches. Your brightness fills the skies in the Worlds around us like a beacon."

Tanama turned her attention back to her work. "I am doing my father's bidding," she said. "I am placing the stars to bring glory to my father's House and strengthen our claims on this patch of mortal realm. What about you?" she added slyly. "What reason does a Houseless wretch as yourself have to be so far from the heart of the Empire? Preying on the trust of mortals again?"

"The poor, neglected creatures," he said. "So far from the Empire's mind. For many, I am the only Luminary to visit their worlds, to step foot in their dimensions, much less their minuscule planets. Is that not sad?"

"Yes," she said with a straight face. "Quite."

"At any rate," he went on. "Now that I see a fellow Imperial Luminary is here, I have come to offer my assistance in your endeavors."

"You want to help me?" said Tanama.

"Of course!" Besovi said. "My love is for all. If I, in my infinite compassion, can love mortals, surely the love i feel for my fellow Luminaries is ten thousand times stronger. But not too strong," he added thoughtfully.

"You wouldn't be able to help me, even if you wanted," she said.

"Oh?" said Besovi. "Who do you think helped your father learn the art of starmaking? The Regulus and I learned starcrafting at the side of the same master."

Tanama thought it over. She looked at the small patch of star-filled sky around her, then looked at the expansive emptiness beyond, and her resolution waned.

"You'd really do it?" she said.

"Of course!" he said. He swept forward, dropping to one knee before Tanama and taking two of her burning hands into his own. "My dear," he said, gazing soulfully into her eyes. "Please. Allow me to show you my love. The love I feel for all, mortal and Luminary alike."

Tanama remained unconvinced. "I don't know..."

But Besovi could see the thought firing behind her eyes, the thought of how much time it would truly take to carefully place the stars, and of what other, more entertaining things she could be doing in that time, back in the comfort of the Empire away from the disorganized chaos of the Outer Reaches.

"Fine!" she said finally. She pulled Besovi to his feet. "Do you see how I have them arranged so far?" she said. "Keep doing it like that. They should have at least this much space between them, but if there is one of particular beauty, you may space it further so as to more clearly show its brilliance. Make sure to keep the rows straight and in order-- try alternating sizes in order to keep symmetry, and make sure to check each star before-"

"Yes, Lady Astrifor! I am well aware of how your father prefers his stars to be placed. Leave it to me."

With one last look behind her, Tanama M'Tha-Astrifor stepped through the void, disappearing into the blackness night sky.

Besovi, satisfied at having demonstrated his love verbally, found himself suddenly bored. He had spoken of his love and successfully convinced Tanama of it, so the rest of it seemed like a waste of time. He had completed his goal, after all, which was to assure others of his love. the actual doing of the task seemed superfluous and unnecessary.

So instead of finishing Tanama's work and carefully placing the stars, Besovi hefted up the entire bucket. He swung it back and forth, building momentum, and then he twirled, spilling the bucket's contents into the sky.

The stars flew in a wild arc, sticking haphazardly wherever they landed. The void of the Outer Reaches there was suddenly filled with the light of House Astrifides.

Tanama pulled her hair, a scream rising from her chest. As one, Tanama's nintey-eight free burning hands grabbed for him, ready to tear and destroy all that he was.

Besovi, with the swiftness of a viper, back-stepped out of that plane of reality and into another, more pleasant one where a goddess of stars wasn't about to flay him. Tanama was left looking at the mess in the sky, screaming curses in Besovi's name and wondering how she would explain her failure to her parents.

"What part of that was the miracle?" I asked him once he had finished the story.

"The part where I lived!" he said with a laugh. "Tanama's mother and father haven't forgiven her to this day, and she has yet to forgive me. Some people," he added conspiratorially, "are simply unable to accept and appreciate love."

Category:

It warms me to know that there are other followers of The Word of Besovi here on the lovechild of Besovi and The Holy Concubine of Besovi, the website everything2. Let us continue to bask in the love of Besovi. Good Besovi. Compassionate Besovi. The faces of Besovi are many. Besovi spoken of in many faiths. Besovi has many names. Brianbricriu knows some of them. We shall call going forward the Brianbricriu noder as Brian. Makes things easier. Odd spellings hard to remember. Cannot become distracted. Love is in the air.

Brian experience with Besovi different than mine but this is way of Besovi. Appear does Besovi in way each will understand. Besovi run no circus. If Besovi ran circus we would be flies on the feces of the elephants who are no longer welcome at circus. Alone they wander off to die. Outcasts abandoned in wild. Sometimes I will talk like Yoda. It cannot be helped. Thank you for the comment. It means a great deal to me. And to Besovi who we have met in one of infinite guises. Besovi smart. Besovi compassionate. Besovi love immigrant families. Besovi not tear them apart. Besovi understands. Besovi loves just enough. But not too much.

Warm self by fire, Good Noder Brian. Sit on favorite chair. There it is for you. Besovi knows you. Besovi is you. Good Besovi. Loving Besovi. Generate people from within. Guaranteed results or your money back. Love Besovi just enough. But not too much. Enjoy I do saying that.

Who is this Tanama M'Tha-Astrifor of which speaks Brave Noder Brian? Is construct in mind of noder? Something else you have not yet considered. You are not there yet. You do not yet have focus. Your journey far from complete. You are on right path. One you are on. Good Besovi. Loving Besovi. Be Besovi.

Now we come to pages in a journal. It may be yours. May belong to another. Only you know. Do you read? Put back on shelf? There is more to the placement of stars than where they are. They are in night sky. They are in day sky. But you do not see them. If you still see them in day sky you know of what I speak. Wise Besovi. Observant Besovi. Look just enough. But not too much. Do not touch other noders without first receiving consent. It is the way.

Long before I find Besovi I go to noder meet. Perhaps 2002 or 2003. Just before the heroin and the defeat of the lackeys at the Bourne Bridge. We remember. We were there. My first encounter with noders in flesh came then. Noder meet was on hill in woods. House on hill. Large front porch. On porch sat Noders dannye and Jet-Poop. I did not recognize them from nodes. Yet I waved a greeting. Noder dannye sat in chair. Had bib around neck. Shaving cream on face. Noder Jet-Poop was shaving Noder dannye face with straight razor while Noder dannye rock in chair. Like in Clint Eastwood movies. Very impressive. Still did not know Besovi. Drank many beers. Sex with many noders. Lost in pile of flesh. Soul dying. Where Besovi? Needed Besovi.

When find Besovi I look back on that noder meet. What I see on porch. Knew then everything2 website was where I must go. Needed to return. Bring word of Besovi.